The Bass Man

Takahiro Omori’s win at stop number two of the Bass Pro Tour is a victory that will stick with me for a while. Out will come the ChatterBaits in my attempt to recreate the magic Omori has pursued for decades. 

Casual fans made note of the day when old school beat the 'scope. Already, the event had been boiled down to an alignment of conditions; the perfect storm that gave a shallow water, power fisherman a chance. Prespawn bass combined with severe winds and a mix of water colors. The tournament was a one-off.

But make no mistake, for Omori, the win was anything but a fluke and demonstrated that victories in bass fishing define a career and often take a career to accomplish. To understand better, we’ll need to rewind the tape.

Omori began his career in Japan, dreaming of emigrating to the United States to pursue a pathway as a bass pro. He made the move in the mid 90’s, capturing his first pro title at the Missouri Invitational in 1996.

As a young, displaced man, Omori was entirely focused on fishing. There was nothing else in his life. Perhaps this devotion was a factor of his cultural upbringing but Omori’s quest for tournament perfection became the subject of a documentary film released in 2001.

“Bass Man” is no longer available to the masses but it warrants a dust-off every few years in my home. Luckily, I still own a DVD player. Here, we watch as Omori attempts to unlock the mystery of bass fishing excellence. The movie presents two influential characters: Jay Yelas and Rick Clunn. Each had achieved stardom and were examples of the endless possibilities Omori pursued. 

The characters are presented as opposing sides not based on their age or fishing methods, but on their religion. I use this term loosely to describe what the anglers – Yelas and Clunn – credit as the driving forces in their lives and grounds for their success. Forgive my generalization but Yelas credits Christian values for his good fortune while Clunn leans toward intuition and the human condition.

Omori, then, begins to examine each ideal in an attempt to decide which to follow. It’s a fascinating portrayal of the mental side of professional tournament fishing. 

The movie follows a few seasons of fishing during Yelas’ reign as Classic champ. I crossed paths with Omori at the time while attending an event at Clunn’s house and watched as Omori soaked in the environment. Being in the company of Clunn was awe-inspiring for us all, but Omori was noticeably overwhelmed. He went through a number of Clunn’s tackle items not so much in an attempt to find a secret, but, from what I could tell, as a way to harness the energy.

Later, we’d hear stories of how Clunn allowed Omori to hold up a Bassmaster Classic trophy. As Clunn described, Omori hoisted the golden globe above his head – just as Clunn had done in real time – visualizing what it would be like to raise a trophy of his own. Per Clunn’s description, this wasn’t fanfare or a photo opp. This was a young man utilizing components of visualization in an attempt to create a tangible event. It was a rehearsal. 

Omori, famously, then went on to win the Classic in 2004. 

Over 20 years have passed and, through that time, Omori has won over $3 million bass fishing. He’s crossed another milestone off the list with wins at the Invitationals, Opens, Elites, Tour, Classic, FLW Tour, MLF Cups and Bass Pro Tour. The only win missing is REDCREST. 

Last week was no one-off. It’s again proof that dominant pros perfecting a skill set can win at any level. For Omori, that skill is power-fishing shallow cover. Forward-facing sonar be damned. 

Guys like me, of course, celebrate the win as validation of what bass fishing has always represented. Figuring out the puzzle, factoring in Mother Nature, driving the human spirit and remaining humble when we fail. Some call it intuition, others credit a higher power.

Watching Omori pick apart shallow cover was a lesson in perfection. He made repeated casts at various angles, often getting rewarded long after most of us would have moved on. The final day brought a 5-pound fish that Omori missed several casts prior but eventually tricked through sheer persistence. Or was it visualization?

Like most of the big-name pros, I’ve interviewed Omori a few times in an attempt to figure out what makes him tick. I remember when he told me that he’d never waiver from his power-fishing upbringing. If he was to win at the top level, he felt he could only do so winding lures around shallow cover. That he’d never use forward-facing sonar. 

I’m not sure if he stuck to that promise. But, with his latest victory Omori proved that perfection in bass fishing can be whatever you make it and credited to whatever, or whoever, you want. It’s a universal language.

It’s what it means to be a Bass Man. 

Joe Balog is the Executive Director of Mighty River Recovery, a nonprofit organization working to restore Florida’s St. Johns River. A former national tournament angler, product designer, seminar speaker and guide, Balog has worn just about every hat available to a professional angler. Today, he enjoys rehashing his experiences and adding veteran insight through his weekly Bass Wars column.

---